Today we will be in room A206 (period 8 will be in the library), to work on our 101 things I’m thankful for piece. Here is an outline of what is expected.

Write about specific elements and details about the things you are thankful for. This assignment is an exercise in paying attention to the small details. Don’t just say “I’m thankful for my puppy” say “When my puppy catches the frisbee in mid air.” This will allow you to say multiple aspects about a single thing you are thankful for.

Use Imagery, especially the advanced imagery techniques we discussed last week.

Essentially you are writing a free verse poem. Organize it 4 stanzas, 25 lines each, and one one-line stanza for something special that you want to stand out.

Don’t number your lines. It will take away from the poem-ness of your piece.

Technical Thursday

When to use “fewer” and when to use “less.”

The Rule: If a thing is quantifiable (you can count how many there are) use “fewer.” Otherwise, when you can count how many of a thing there are, use “less.”

Example:I have less money than Mr. T. You can not say you have 15 moneys. Since you can’t count it, use “less.”Example:I have fewer dollars than Mr. T. You can count how many dollars you have, so use “fewer.”

Example: I have fewer songs on my iPod than you. You can count the number of songs, so use “fewer.Example:I have less music on my iPod than you. You can not count how many musics I have, so use “less.”

Exercise: In your notebook, write a sentence for each of the following words, using “less” or “fewer.” Pain, injuries, care, wrinkles, wrinkling, art, painting, time, minutes, homework, assignments.

Assignment Grade!

I will be checking your work in your notebook on Advanced Imagery. Make sure you have done everything from Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. If necessary, look at the previous three posts on this site.

101 Things I am Thankful For Writing Piece

Our next writing piece (#2) is due on Tuesday 11/25. You will be writing a free verse poem of 101 lines about 101 things you are thankful for. This is an exercise in using specific examples. Don’t just say I’m thankful for my mom. Instead say, I’m thankful for mom’s homemade breakfasts on Sunday mornings. By thinking this way, you will be able to come up with multiple reasons you are thankful for your mom, and your piece will be more meaningful than a nondescript list.

10:
Augment (V): To increase, make larger
Engender (V): To create, to produce

Advanced Imagery Continued

Focus on a tiny but telling detail. Often what makes a story believable and relatable are the tiny details.

Ex: She felt her pulse both in her throat and under the grip of that hand of his crushing her forearm. His breath. She heard it in short, chattering bursts. She smelled it, too. Fear stunk. In this example, notice how she feels her pulse under the attacker’s grip, she also notices his breath.

Ex: She tore free of his grip and leaped off the trail. A spider’s web tugged at her face. Any other time she would have screamed. In this example, the spider web is used to show how urgently she is escaping. Something that would have ordinarily inspired fear means nothing because this situation is much scarier.

Assignment!

Revisit your Memoir or College/Personal Essay from last quarter, and add the three Advanced Imagery Techniques to your piece. You may do so in your notebook or directly on the piece itself (I recommend your notebook, for the sake of adding to your page count). I will check that you have all three tomorrow.

Green Eggs and Ham

Legend has it that Dr. Seuss was challenged by a friend to write a story using fewer than 50 unique words. So the story could be as many words long as needed, but he could only use up to 50 different words. This is a very difficult challenge and would force Dr. Seuss to keep his writing very simple in order to actually tell a story with such a limited amount of words to choose from. Every word choice was extremely important. Dr. Seuss went on to write Green Eggs and Ham. Published in 1960, Green Eggs and Ham is one of the most well-known children’s books ever written. That’s a true testament to keeping things simple!

Advanced Imagery

We have learned about imagery, which is descriptive language that uses any of the five sense. Today we will discuss some more advanced uses of the skill. Review this Writer’s Digest article.

In your notebooks write about something interesting you did recently. Next, make a list of the things you saw, smelled, tasted, felt, and heard during that experience.

Advanced Imagery Techniques

Don’t stop the story to give descriptions. Instead, weave your descriptions into the action. Example:As he shook Hulk Hogan’s hand, he could feel the years of training, body slams and grappling in the callouses of Hogan’s palms.Instead of:He shook Hulk Hogan’s hand. Hogan’s hands were calloused and tough from the years of training , body slams and grappling. In the first example, there is action and description at the same time, in the second, first there is action then the description follows, slowing down the pace of the story. The first example is better because it weaves the action and description together, keeping the story moving.

Try using “Double Nouns” to convey your imagery. These are basically “Imagery Metaphors.” That describe a sensation and make a comparison simultaneously. Examples: Concrete bed, iceberg floor, a cat’s “sandpaper tongue”, spiderweb hair, flagpole physique, leather skin, pumpkin head. Notice that these examples are two nouns (person, place, thing or idea) next to each other. They are very effective in creating an image, while not slowing down the story to give a description.

Now add to your story, using two description that are part of an action, and two “Double Nouns” to describe elements in your story. Don’t say “Walt stood over me, while I was in my seat. He was tall and skinny like a flagpole.” Instead say “As I sat in my seat, Walt’s flagpole physique stood over me.” The second sentence incorporates actions in the descriptions and uses a “Double Noun” comparison which describes how Walt looks, without interrupting the story.